The grief-stricken family of former Byker Grove star Donna Air overcame personal heartache to help people with dementia.

Donna’s mum, Marie Air, was left devastated when her beloved mother, Mary Lackenby, lost her fight against cancer on Thursday night at the Freeman Hospital.

But despite her loss, Marie honoured a long-standing commitment to take part in the Alzheimer’s Society Tyneside Memory Walk after being inspired to raise funds for the charity by dad, Joe Lackenby, who has dementia and lives in a care home.

Marie was joined by daughter, Francesca, and her brother, Joe Lackenby, for the walk that saw a record-breaking 2,500 people head to the Quayside in a bid to raise awareness and £100,000 for the charity.

“It’s been a really tough time but my mum was so looking forward to us doing the Memory Walk so there was no question of us not taking part,” Marie said.

“She knew how important it was to fight dementia. She took it really badly when my dad went downhill with Alzheimer’s.

“She found it incredibly painful to watch dad suffer because they’d spent almost all their lives together and hardly spent a day apart.

“It’s also really sad that he wasn’t there at the end of her life, to share that as well because of his dementia. He is totally oblivious to the fact that his wife has passed away.”

Marie, who lives in Forest Hall, added: “Going to see him on Friday just underlined for me that dementia is a living death when you get to the advanced stage where dad is now. You lose your parents twice with dementia.

“We have already lost my dad and it is waiting for the inevitable to happen. It is just so sad for anyone who has to watch loved ones go through this.

“I just hope my grandchildren never have to watch me go through it or their parents go through it.”

TV star Davina McCall has sponsored Marie who has raised £1,500 for the Alzheimer’s Society after a public plea for support from daughter Donna who wrote an open letter to our readers asking for their backing.

Marie Air

Francesca, who now lives in London, travelled up to Tyneside after giving up Rugby World Cup tickets to support her mum.

She said: “This was an important day in terms of getting family together and being positive as a family.

“Our grandparents were a huge part of our lives as we grew up. They looked after me, my sister and brother when we were little like second parents.

“That’s why it is so important because we owe them so much and it is such a cruel disease that we want to help find a cure.”

Marie’s brother, also called Joe Lackenby, who lives in Fawdon, echoed their sentiments.

“It’s so emotional because we lost our mum who had fought cancer three times and that’s made Memory Walk extra-special,” he said.

“She was looking forward to us doing the walk and she’d been kept up to date with everything that went on with the memory walk.

Donna Air (Image: Matt Crossick/PA Wire)

“But I take so much inspiration from my parents. That’s what keeps us going and keeps us motivated to do things like this.”

The Memory Walk was opened by the TV agony aunt Denise Robertson.

“I thought it would be a rather sombre occasion but the opposite was the case,” Denise said.

“Yes, there are a few tears because people are walking for people who are gone but they are here to help other people so my overwhelming feeling is of huge optimism.